Alanna Fic
by Sunkisses643
Summary: Part 3 is finally up! Yea for me! Please R/R!
1. Alianna's Dream

Lord Alan of Trebond and Lady Alianna of Trebond sat side by side in their geeting room. They were awaiting the arrival of their children.The children would be leaving home tomorrow and wouldn't be returning until many years later. Thom would travel to the palace and Alanna to the convent. The children hated to leave home, something everybody knew. The door burst open and the twins raced in. They were both dressed for riding. The children were identical, except for Alanna's waist length hair. Ther children were both short, with red hair and violet eyes. Alanna ran forward.  
  
"I don't want to go to the convent! Please don't make me go! Let me go to the palace with Thom. Please?" she begged on her knees, her eyes pleading.  
  
"Alanna get up this instant! You are getting the floor all covered with dirt! A noblewoman never begs," Alianna scolded. Alanna got up. Alianna was never really this forceful with her children, nlt when her husband was around. He often said that she babied the children too much.  
  
"This discussion is over. Tomorrow you leave for the convent and Thom leaves for the palace. And that is that," her father added.  
  
"This isn't fair!" Alanna argued. "Mother please?"  
  
"Now Alanna, you heard your father. Go get ready for dinner," Alianna told her children. Thom and Alanna left, but they didn't head to their rooms.   
  
"I told you it would never work," Thom told his sister as they entered the library.  
  
"I will simply have to find another way then,"Alanna never gve up easily. She was very stubborn. They heard the door open as their mother walked in. Alanna picked up a book about female warriors.  
  
"Alanna, I'm sorry I had to be so rough in there. You know how your father can be." Both twins nodded."I know how badly you want to be a warrior, Alanna. There is something I have never told you. When I was young, I too wanted to be a warrior. My best friend Durtney taught me to use a sword as his father had taught him. I was just starting to get good at it when I was sent to the convent. Then i met your father. I haven't lifted a sword since. I know what it feels like. That is why I have decided to let you go. If I couldn't follow my dream, why should I deprive you of your's? We must do it secretly thought. If your father should catch us, we shall all be in a lot of trouble." Alanna ran to her mother and hugged her tightly.  
  
"Thank you mother," she said greatfully.   
  
"Now isn't it a bit dark in here?" Alianna asked, changing the subject. Alanna and Thom each pointed at a candle, both of which burst into flames. The twins were both blessed with the gift of magic. "Very good, my children. You are learning." They both beamed.  
  
"Thank you ma ma," they both replied.  
  
"Now hurry along and get ready for dinner," she told her children. They ran out into the hallway, leaving their mother in the library.  
  
"Oh Thom! I'm so excited!" Alanna cried happily. Thom was happy for his sister. They would get to stay together. The twins were the very best of friends.  
  
"Sister, you must prepare. There is a hard road ahead, for both of us." Thom walked into his room as Alanna continued down the hall. Her dreams were coming true!  
  
Dinner was pretty quiet that evening. All Lord Alan and Lady Alianna talked about was the twin's departure the next day. The castle would be awfully quiet without the twins. When the twins went to retire for bed, Alianna went to her daughter's room.  
  
"The next few years will be hard ones," she told her daughter. "If you ever need any help, just write me. Address your letters to Maude," she named the village healing woman."She'll make sure that I get them. I shall miss you, daughter. We shall fix your hair in the morning. Good-night. Get some rest, you will need it." She kissed her daughter on the forhead and put out the candle beside her bed. Alanna got little sleep that night. She kept dreaming of a city made of black, shiny stone.  
  
  
*I don't own any of these characters, except Alianna. Tamora Pierce does. 


	2. The Adventure Begins

The next morning, the twins met their parents for breakfast as usual. After breakfast, Lord Alan drew aside each of his children to wish them luck. After that, the twins headed for their rooms. Alianna met Alanna in her room.  
  
"Now we have to get you ready," Alianna told her daughter. "Now you remember Durtney? My friend who taught me to use a sword?" Her daughter nodded. "Well, he shall be accompaning you and Thom to the palace. While you are at the palace, Coram will be arriving after I manage to talk him around. I'm sure I'll manage to somehow." Alianna twiddled her fingers as Alanna grinned. To Alianna and her twins, this ment using magic. Coram was petrified of magic.  
  
"Mother, what happens if father finds out?" Alanna asked gravely. Her mother's face paled at the very thought.  
  
"We must make sure that no one does find out. Now let's do something with that hair," Alianna gently pulled Alanna's hair out of the usual ponytail that she always wore. She grabbed a knife from the bedside table and started to cut. She cut until Alanna's hair was to her ear. Next, Alanna changed from her breakfast gown into riding breeches and a green tunic. She put on her cloak and glanced into the mirror. She grinned when she saw her twin looking back at her. She turned and grinned at her mom.  
  
"Ah, my little girl's growing up," she said with a sigh. "I told you father that I would handle all payments for your upkeep, so he won't catch us that way." She drew out two pouches and a peice of paper with the Trebond seal on it. The handed the largest pouch to her daughter. Alanna opened it up and found it filled to the brim with copper and silver nobles, with an occasional gold coin. " Here is some emergency money in case anything should happen." She handed the other pouch to her daughter, along with the parchment. This pouch wasn't nearly as big as the other one. "Here is the first payment for your upkeep and your letter of enrollment. They should both go to Duke Gareth, the training master. These next few years at the palace will be hard, but I know you can do it. You are so much braver than I was." She hugged her daughter tightly, as she blinked back tears.  
  
"Let's go get Thom," Alanna suggested.  
  
"Alright," Alianna replied. They walked out of the castle and met Thom by the gate leading out of Trebond. Their bags were already fastened on their horses. Alianna drew her son aside.   
  
"Watch out for your sister Thom," Alianna told her son.  
  
"Alanna will be fine, mom. She's a way better fighter that I am. I'll stick by her though, I promise," Thom reassured her.  
  
"I'll miss you Thom."  
  
"I'll miss you too mom." Alianna pulled her son into a tight embrace. She drew two pouches, one of which was MUCH smaller than Alanna's, and the same parchment. "The larger one goes to Duke Gareth, the training master, and the other one is your extra spending money for when you are allowed to go to the city. The letter is also for the training master."  
  
"Thank you mother," said Thom, as he excepted the pouches and parchment.  
  
"Now go get your sister."  
  
"Ok," Thom replied. He gave his mother one last hug and ran to get Alanna. She walked over to her mom, the hood of her cloak stil covering her face. She wouldn't be able to pull it down until they were far from Trebond.  
  
"Mother, I'll miss you,"Alanna said softly.  
  
"I'll miss you too." Alanna saw a man leading a horse walk up next to her mother. He too was dressed for riding. He bowed to Alanna. "Alanna, this is my friend Durtney. Remember, I told you about him? We were friends along time ago. He taught me to use a sword when his dad taught him. We were both six. Then he ran off with the shangs just before we were both seven. He is now the Shang Wolf." Now it was Alanna who curtsied respectfully. He only nodded. He appeared to be very talkative. He shall accompany you and your brother to the palace and shall stay with you until Coram comes, and maybe even afterwards, too. It is time for you to go now Alanna." She kissed her daughter and watched as she mounted Chubby. She gave Durtney a fond pat on the shoulder and watched as he saddled Cocoa. She watched as they rode off. When Alanna looked back, she saw Alianna with her chin held high, blinking back tears. Alanna turned back, lowering her own head so she could hide her own tears. 


	3. The Page Years

A/N~ I stayed home today cause I was sick ::cough, cough::, so I decided that I FINALLY had time to add more. Look for the twist at the end of this chapter and see if you can guess what is to come~ Ashley  
  
Disclaimer~ All these fab characters, except the ones that you don't know like Durtney and Ailenne are mine. Enjoy! ~ Ashley  
  
  
  
They arrived in Corus three days later. Alanna was fascinated by all the shops and wondrous temples. She was dying to go to the temple of the Goddess, the only temple with female guards.   
  
"Keep an eye on your saddlebags, lads. Some people here would steal from their own mother if it involved making money, " Durtney advised. He directed his gaze to one young man in particular.  
  
"Who me?" he asked innocently, his hazel eyes twinkling. Durtney laughed and continued onward. The young man winked at Alanna and walked away, chuckling softly to himself. When they reached the castle, Alanna gasped in awe.   
  
"Well sis, were finally here. " Thom rode up next to her.  
  
"We'll make it Thom. I just know we will," replied Alanna. She rode on to catch up with Durtney, leaving Thom in her dust.  
  
***  
  
"Hmmmm.... Thom and Alan of Trebond," Duke Gareth of Naxen said, as he read their letters. They both bowed on cue. Alanna took Thom's pouch from him and handed them both to the Duke.  
  
"Your grace, these are for our first year in the palace." Gareth weighed both pouches expertly in his hand.  
  
"Very well. You will train as a page for four years. After that time, if you are ready that is, you will be made a squire. A knight may or may not choose you to be his personal body squire. Then, you will face the Ordeal of Knighthood. If you survive, you will become a Knight of the Realm of Tortall. As a page, you will run any errands for any lord or lady who asks. You will also wait on tables at any big events, such as Midwinter's festival. Alan, you shall serve me in one week's time and Thom you will serve me in two week's time. Any questions?" When neither twin spoke, he added," Good." He turned to the open door. "Timon!" After a moment's time, a serving man rushed in.   
  
"Your Grace?" he asked, bowing from the doorway.  
  
"Make sure that this two are properly outfitted," he said. He bowed his way out the door, as Thom and Alanna followed him. "If you two will follow me, I will show you to the palace tailors." Alanna paled. She hated to think that her plan would be uncovered so soon. It was much to her relief, when a grumpy old man whipped a knotted cord around her thin shoulders and waist. He did the same with Thom and shoved clothes and boots into her arms. They headed off to their adjoining chambers, arms full. Durtney was lagging behind, whistling as he followed the twins. Alanna drew a golden tunic and crimson hose out of the pile of clothes on her bed. When she put them on, she felt and looked lovely. There was a knock on her door and she opened it to find Thom dressed exactly as she was. They both grinned at each other.   
  
"Well, I guess we better be on our way," Alanna said, locking her door behind her. They stared down the hallway as some of the other pages scurried away.  
  
"What have we here?" A gangly boy of about 13 grabbed the back of Alanna's tunic in one hand and Thom's in the other. He threw them both into a wall.  
  
"What was that for?" Thom asked, rubbing the back of his neck.  
  
"A couple of farmer's boys trying to pass for nobles, huh?" The boy snorted very ungentlemanly at his joke.  
  
"Ungentlemanly swine," Alanna muttered.   
  
"What did you say, farmer's boy? Speak up page," he spit out the word mockingly. " Call me Lord Ralon." Ralon yelled in rage.   
  
"I'd as soon kiss a pig. Is that what you've been doing, or being kissed?" Ralon lunged, as Alanna stepped out of the way. Ralon collided with the wall and landed on the ground. He managed to stand, snarling at the twins. He ran towards Alanna, only to be tripped by Thom.   
  
"Stop that at once!" Alanna looked up to see a tall young man with blue black hair and sapphire eyes. " What goes here?" Another page recounted what had happened, as the other pages laughed. Alanna stood as red as a beet next to her brother. Ralon sent murderous glares in her direction as she gave an involuntary shudder. She had already made her first enemy.   
  
"It was entirely Ralon's fault, Jon," the page told the young man. He looked at Alanna and Thom and then switched his gaze to Ralon.  
  
"I don't doubt that. You are dismissed Malven."  
  
"But, but.." Ralon stuttered.  
  
"Dismissed!" An even larger young man with dark curly hair and chestnut eyes told Ralon, cracking his knuckles in a menacing way. She saw Ralon gulp. He quickly turned and hurried down the hall. The boy called Jon turned his attention to the twins.  
  
"Let's get a look at you." Alanna and Thom raised their eyes from the floor to the other boy.   
  
"This is Prince Jonathon, lads," the large boy with the chestnut eyes told the twins. They both bowed simultaneously. "I am Raoul of Goldenlake. This is Garth of Naxen, the Duke's son," he said, gesturing towards a young man with brown hair.   
  
"This is Alexander of Tirragen," Gareth said, pointing to a mysterious dark haired boy. " And Francis of Nond." Raoul's shy blonde shadow stepped forward. There were ten others, but they were the leaders.   
  
"Now who will sponsor these pages?" Jon asked. Several of the boys raised their hands. " Gary will sponsor Alan and Alex, you'd better take Thom." Alanna and Thom both bowed to their new sponsors. "Well, now that we have solved that problem, let's go eat." After dinner, Alanna and Thom both fell asleep with ease.   
  
  
* * *   
  
Alanna's years a page were very eventful. She rid Jon of the sweating sickness, a horrible sickness which she lost one of her dear friends to. She befriended the king of thieves and Sir Myles of Baony Olau, forced Ralon to leave court with his head bowed in shame, and defeated the Ysandir of the Black City. Both the thief, George and Prince Jon found out that she was a girl.   
  
  
  
  
After the sweating sickness, Jon's cousin, Duke Roger, came. He was a very powerful wizard, liked by everyone. Everyone that is, besides Alanna. When Alex became his squire, the two friends drifted apart. Since Alex was his sponser, Thom also began to drift away from Alanna and towards Alex and Roger. He was fascinated in Roger's magic and over the years, his wish to become a sorcerer never diminished. Alanna became Jon's squire while Thom became Alex's.  
  
  
  
A/N~ Well, I hoped you liked it! It will probably be a while before I can add more, because I have SOOO much homework! Please read and review! 


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